Minor-league spotlight
Chaz Roe, P, Colorado Springs Sky Sox
Right-hander Roe was cruising along toward a rough landing in his first season in Triple-A with the Colorado Springs Sky Sox.
He was 1-7 and not living up to his draft selection by the Rockies between the first and second rounds of the 2005 June draft.
“It was frustrating, but I knew I had to keep my head up and work hard and it would turn around,” Roe said.
It turned around in a big way. Roe has won his last four starts to reach 5-7, the key being six walks and 18 strikeouts over 28 2/3 innings. He pitched a complete game in one of the victories and eight innings in another.
“Triple-A was a little different for me at first,” Roe said. “The hitters are more selective. I wasn’t pitching ahead in the count. When I was struggling, I was ahead in the count under 50 percent of the time. The last four starts, I’ve been ahead in the count well above 50 percent of the time.”
Marc Gustafson, Rockies director of player development, sees the difference.
“He’s pitching as if he’s not scared,” Gustafson said. “He has pitched right up there with our best starting pitchers over his last four starts.”
Irv Moss, The Denver Post
